Cultured Dairy Foods: A Primer

By Terese Allen, Organic Valley food editor

Ricotta

Traditional Italian ricotta is made by heating whey (from organic cow’s, sheep’s or goat’s milk) until it forms a thick, white mass with fine-grained curd-like granules. American ricotta is made by souring milk with vinegar or another acidic catalyst. Either way, the slightly sweet, slightly salty flavor and soft texture is a favorite in lasagna, filled pastas, cheesecake and many other Italian dishes.

Sour Cream

Just like it sounds, this is cream (often with milk added) that has been cultured to acidify and thicken it, resulting in a markedly agreeable combination of richness, tartness and creamy density. Historically sour cream has been the darling of Russians and East Europeans, but since the mid-twentieth century has become a widespread staple in Mexico and the United States, too. “Live culture” sour cream contains probiotics, the microbes that improve digestion; thus, many people who are lactose intolerant enjoy it with no symptoms.

The unctuousness of sour cream is most noticeable when it’s organic; that’s when  the deep, untainted dairyness of sour cream can come through. Aficionados use it as a cool base to dips and dressings, a soothing topping in tacos and other spicy foods, and as the piece de resistance accent atop cold soups. With a typical milk fat content of about twenty percent (less for the lowfat versions, of course), sour cream will curdle at high temperatures. But cooks can use it successfully in sauces and other hot preparations if it is added just before serving, when the heat has been turned off.

Yogurt

One of the oldest edibles known to humankind—and one that has been organically produced for millennia—yogurt is the semi-solid cultured dairy food that is a core ingredient in cuisines of central and western Asia, India, the Middle East and east-central Europe. In recent decades Americans have caught on, too, and it’s no wonder: yogurt is legendary for its health properties, its cool, zippy flavor and its affinity for everything from fruits to meats, from soup to nuts.

Among the myriad types of yogurt and yogurt preparations around the world are: the Turkish drink called ayran that is seasoned with salt and sometimes pepper and served with kebabs; Armenian tan, a similar drink that is accented with fresh mint; Bulgarian yogurt, a concentrated yogurt which is high in fat and low in acidity; Greek yogurt, another full-fat yogurt that is made from a combination of milk and cream—it’s traditionally served with nuts and honey or fruit preserves; kefir (see above); and Indian lassi, yogurt beverage that may be served sweet (with fruit juice or rosewater added) or salty (with hot chilies and cumin).